FAB 2. INSIDE MARPET’S MOVE TO CENTER
The news of Ali Marpet’s possible – let’s say probable – move to center shouldn’t come as a surprise to PewterReport.com readers. We’ve forecasted Marpet’s move for months, dating back to our interview with Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter at the Senior Bowl on January 25.

“We’ve always felt that it was a possibility long-term that Ali could end up at center but when we had two proven starting-caliber centers, two guys that have started a fair amount of games in their career in Joe [Hawley] and Evan [Smith], we just felt it wasn’t in our best interest for these last two years anyway,” Koetter told me in Mobile, Ala. “That all ties back into [versatility and competition] so either one of those scenarios could happen.”

Bucs RG Ali Marpet – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But is there something else to consider. Not just where Marpet fits best in 2017, but where he fits best over the rest of his career in Tampa Bay – on the field and in the Bucs’ salary cap plans.

The benefit to moving Marpet to center has several on-field benefits, many of which were discussed by Koetter at the NFL Owners Meeting earlier this week. He’s strong and a great run blocker. He’s very good in the screen game. He communicated well. All of those aspects of his game make Marpet an ideal candidate to play center.

Marpet is also extremely close to Jameis Winston, and there should be no tighter relationship on a team than between a star quarterback and his center (see Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday in Indianapolis, or Brett Favre and Frank Winters in Green Bay). The Bucs’ second-round pick in 2015 has Pro Bowl potential at guard and that won’t change with a move inside to center.

Because Bucs offensive line coach George Warhop cross-trains all of his offensive linemen, Marpet has a good deal of experience snapping at center in practice – just not in games. So it’s not like Marpet will be starting from the ground floor during OTAs in May.

The off-field benefits for moving Marpet to center certainly favor the Bucs more than the player himself. There is a salary cap benefit for Tampa Bay with Marpet at center, especially since he’s about to enter a contract year in 2018.

As stated in Fab 1, the contracts of Winston, left tackle Donovan Smith, middle linebacker Kwon Alexander and Marpet will all be up after 2018. Winston might be the exception if Tampa Bay does a long-term contract extension with him beforehand, or elects to pick up a fifth-year option for 2019.

Here is a look at the highest-paid guards and centers.

Top 6 Guard Salaries
1. Cleveland G Kevin Zeitler – $60 million contract – $12 million avg.
2. Oakland G Kelechi Osemele – $58.5 million contract – $11.7 million avg.
3. Pittsburgh G David DeCastro – $50 million contract – $10 million avg.
4. Cleveland G Joel Bitonio – $50 million contract – $10 million avg.
5. Chicago G Kyle Long – $40 million contract – $10 million avg.
6. Detroit G T.J. Lang – $28.5 million contract – $9.5 million avg.

Top 6 Center Salaries
1. Dallas C Travis Frederick – $56.4 million contract – $9.4 million avg.
2. Atlanta C Alex Mack – $45 million contract – $9 million avg.
3. Miami C Mike Pouncey – $44.75 million contract – $8.95 million avg.
4. Oakland C Rodney Hudson – $44.5 million contract – $8.9 million avg.
5. Pittsburgh C Maurkice Pouncey – $44.14 million contract – $8.8 million avg.
6. Carolina C Matt Kalil – $16.75 million contract – $8.375 million avg.

The difference in top-end money for guards and centers is $2.6 million per year between Zeitler’s contract and Fredrick’s. Among the next five guards and centers the difference is between $2.7 million and $1.175 million per year, favoring the guards. If you don’t think that’s significant, consider that the combined salaries of Marpet and Smith – two starting offensive linemen – this year totals $1,589,768.

Getting Marpet at a center price tag instead of at a guard price tag could mean available cap room for one or two starters each year down the road in Tampa Bay.

Osemele received the most guaranteed money with $25.4 million, which was the most for a guard. While Fredrick’s deal is worth slightly more in total value and average per year, Mack received $20 million in guaranteed money, which was $1.9 million more than what Frederick received. There is also a big difference in guaranteed money between guards and centers.

Bucs LG Ali Marpet and C Evan Smith – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR

Money is not motivating the decision to possibly move Marpet from right guard to center. Koetter is committed to getting the five best offensive linemen on the field regardless of draft pick status or salary. But Marpet is going to be one of those five anyway, as he is likely the team’s best and most consistent lineman.

The Bucs have a lot of money invested in J.R. Sweezy, the guard they signed from Seattle last offseason in free agency. Sweezy signed a five-year, $32.5 million deal last year with $12 million in guaranteed money. He has already been paid $9 million in base salary and roster bonus money, so the team wants to get him on the field now that he’s healthy.

Tampa Bay is also anxious to see more of Kevin Pamphile, who performed very well in his first full season as a starter at left guard. Pamphile also started at right tackle at New Orleans and played well. The versatile Pamphile is entering a contract year and the Bucs feel he’ll be playing his best football this year as a result – whether that’s at left guard or right tackle where he could compete with Demar Dotson.

With all of the experimentation regarding position switches that is set to take place this offseason, the hope here is that after Week 2 of the preseason the starting five offensive linemen is set in stone so that the group can achieve some continuity in the third preseason game in advance of the 2017 regular season opener, which very well could have Marpet starting things off with a snap to Winston.